This map displays the severe lack of Motorways in Scotland when compared with Ireland.

I’ve got a road map of the ‘British Isles’ hanging on the wall & looking down on me as I post.

What it shows is that the principal provincial cities of England & Ireland are well connected by motorway to the commercial capitals, London & Dublin.

It also shows that Wales & Scotland are poorly served by basic road communications.

There’s no direct motorway to Edinburgh, the UK’s 2nd financial centre, from the South.

Aberdeen, the economic dynamo of the rest of Britain outside London, has only a 2nd rate dualled trunk road link and Inverness, the fastest growing city in the UK, is stuck at the end of Scotland’s killer A9 mainly single carriageway road let alone Thurso & Wick.

I await precise motorway data for Ireland but its as clear as the map on my wall that London management of Great Britain’s road communications has been shameful.

I understand that the real business case for Hi-Speed rail only makes sense when Scotland is connected yet reports today expect Scotland to subsidise it across England to the border.

Firstly lets complete quality roads to ALL of Great Britain before committing to the cost of more Hi-Speed rail for the South & East of England and secondly lets have an independent Scotland to ensure realistic communications across this larger of the two British Isles.